Heel-support for shoes.



No. 882,109. PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908. r V. E. HARRIS.

HEEL SUPPORT FOR SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17 1907 VAY ELEANOR HARRIS, OF WAY CROSS GEORGIA.

HEEL-SUPPORT FOR SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 17, 1908.

Application filed May 17, 1907. Serial No. 374,243.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VAY ELEANOR HAR- RIS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Way Cross, in the county of Ware and State ofGeorgia, have invented a new and useful Heel-Support, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined .heel plate and counter support andhas for its object to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensivedevice of this character capable of being readily attached to a boot orshoe and which performs the dual function of a wear plate for the treadsurface of the heel and a brace or support for the counter of the shoe.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a heel plate havingoppositely disposed arms which pierce the body of the heel and arethence curved laterally and extended upwardly between the counter andlining of the shoe, thereby to reinforce the heel and prevent the samefrom turning.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve thisclass of devices so as to increase their utility, durability andefficiency as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

Further objects and advantages will ap pear in the followingdescription, it being understood that various changes in form,proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to withinthe scope of the ap ended claims.

In t 1e accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:Figure 1 is a perspective view partly in section of a shoe provided witha combined heel plate and counter support constructed in accordance withmy invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the heel plate. Fig. 3 isa plan view of the blank. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the blankfolded into shape.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of thefigures of the drawings.

The improved heel plate forming the subject matter of the presentinvention is principally designed for attachment to boots, shoes andother foot wear and by way of illustration is shown in position on ashoe of the ordinary construction in which 5 designates the heel, 6 thecounter and 7 the lining.

The device is preferably stamped or otherwise formed from a single pieceof metal and comprises a body portion 8 having its rear end curved toconform to the curvature of the heel and provided with a marginal row ofperforations 9 for the reception of screws, nails or similar fasteningdevices and by means of which the plate may be retained in position onthe tread surface of the heel.

Projecting from opposite sides of the body portion are laterallyextending spring arms 10 which extend upwardly through vertical slots orrecesses 11 formed in the heel of the shoe and are thence curvedlaterally at 12 and interposed between the counter 6 and lining 7, asshown, thereby to form a brace for the counter of the shoe and assist inpreventing turning of the heel. The upper or free ends of the springarms 10 terminate near the upper edge of the counter 6 and arepreferably curved or rounded at 13 so as to prevent cutting or otherwiseinjuring the lining and leather forming the counter of the shoe.

The body portion 8 is provided with inwardly extending cuts or slits 14,there being fold lines 15 disposed at the juncture of the arms 10 andbody portion and intersecting the slits 14 thereby to permit the arms 10to be readily folded into the proper shape preparatory to inserting thesame within the recesses 11 of the heel. The plate 8 is preferablycounter sunk in the tread surface of the heel with its forward orstraight edge 16 spaced inwardly from the inner face of the heel andbearing against a shoulder 17 thereby to assist in preventing accidentaldisplacement of the plate.

In using the device the arms 10 are bent laterally on the fold lines 15at substantially right angles to the horizontal plane of the bodyportion 8 and thence inserted within the recesses 11 and forced upwardlybetween the lining and counter of the shoe, as shown. It will thus beseen that the body portion 8 forms a wear plate for the lower treadsurface of the shoe while the arms 10 form a brace on both the counterand heel of the shoe. By extending the arms 10 vertically through theheel, said heel is not only reinforced and strengthened, but the armseffectually housed so as to prevent injury to the same.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that there is provided anextremely simple, inexpensive and efficient device admirably adapted forthe attainment of the ends in view.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. The combination with a shoe, of a heel plate having oppositelydisposed arms which extend upwardly through the body of the heel forengagement with the counter of the shoe.

2. The combination with a shoe, of a heel plate secured to the treadsurface of the heel of the shoe and provided with oppositely disosedarms which extend upwardly through the body of the heel and are thencebent laterally and interposed between the counter and lining of theshoe.

3. The combination with a shoe, of a heel plate counter sunk in thetread surface of the heel of the shoe and provided with oppositelydisposed arms which pierce the body portion of the shoe and are providedwith curved terminalsinterposed between the counter and lining of saidshoe.

4. The combination with a shoe, of a heel plate counter sunk in thetread surface of the heel of the shoe and having one end thereof curvedto conform to the curvature of the heel, and arms extending laterallyfrom the opposite sides of the plate and projecting vertically throughthe heel with their upper ends interposed between the counter and liningof the shoe.

5. The combination with a shoe, of a heel plate secured to the treadsurface of the heel of the shoe and provided with oppositely disposedspring arms wliich extend vertically through the body of the heel andare thence bent laterally and curved to conform to the counter of theshoe, the terminals of said arms being rounded and interposed betweensaid counter and the lining of the shoe.

6. As an article of manufacture a heel plate having one end thereofcurved and provided with oppositely disposed attaching arms, onelongitudinal edge of each of which is disposed in alinement with theopposite end of the plate, there being inwardly extending slits formedin the plate at the opposite longitudinal edge of each arm, thereby topermit the arms to be bent laterally at substantially right angles tothe horizontal plane of the plate.

VAY ELEANOR HARRIS.

WVitnesses:

BENJ. G. Ponxs, E. A. POUND.

